Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-10

NtHiu by w ".'' "s"'-'tVAo
setts man, neither p
fright again.
81 guess you're drummer, ain't
ycrY'
taken for commercial traveller, whose
make-up I do not, rs rule, admire.
] tilted my silk hat rakishly ON one
side, opened my legs wide, thrust my
hands into my trousers pockets, and,
fixing my gaze seronely upon Bill, said (:
"How, listen: my name rs Zoe
Walker. orphan, bachelor, pork butcher,
worth hundred thousand doilars,got
fast trotter, you bet; hail from 3,nf-
falo. n. Y: como down on the q1iet
TO buy land and pigs; gaye hundfcd
dollars for this here suit OF clothes I've
cotton on. Now, say. do you know
wbero Mr.. Van Meter lives--yes. or
| mop"
The hsckman ginned, but Bill was
| not so nimble in his mind as heap
peared he looked o triae sheepish as
he said: -.
ais it Van Meter as used to live at
the Hall ?"
ais he the only Van Meter You know
OFF,"
81 guess he is." 81
"Then he is. the man where is bis
place, please ?"
found il was couple OF miles or
more from Eastbyeastborough, so |
drove bargain with his highness the
bsckman to take me out for dollar,
STIMULATING, with Bill as witness, that
the money should be refunded IL the
emaciated horse fell dead by the way.
| The Van Meter cottage was wee,toy
OF place built like a Swiss chAjet,
and painted in dark green and
red. Ii stood little from sthe
road on high ground, with plenty OF
shade-trees in front. 1t looked very
snug and dainty, albeit it was not
much lorger than q dove-cote. ! vas
on the point OF raising the old iashiofed
brass nocker, when an elderly man OF
about sixty, with white hair, came
| round the corner. He wore knee
brooches and dnrk-blue coat, with
brass buttons and swallow-tails. He
looked like a gentleman OF the old
style, and brought up the MEMORY OF
my gr. ndfather on the only OCCASION /
ever saw him.
docs Mr.. Van Meter live here Z" /
inquired.
my name is Van Meter, sir. Are
you DR.. Martin 2"
YES"
"Ihen I am glad to see you, sir. /
have heard all about you. We were
expecting you. Come in, SIR"
/ followed him into tiny parlor,, ex-
quisitely clean. and quaint as its owner.
The old gentleman went to summon his
wife, and in very short time she APP
peared. She was little, sweet-faeed
woman, with short white curls and
black silk dress figured with blue flow
ers. In neatness, quaintness, and good
nature she was the counterpart Of her
husband. She made me pretty, old
time courtesy rs she entered, and said,
as she shook my hand heartily liam
most happy TO make your acquaintance,
sir. Miss Van Meter is ont just now,
but she will be back soon, sir.
/ noticed that they spoke OF their
daughter with q certain formality and
delicate change of tone which l atri-
buted in part to my being O stranger,
and in part to he respect which coun-
Try family always feels toward the
member that lives in the city. | made
myself as agreeable as l knew how to
be, and spent very pleasant half hour
chatting. Mrs. Van Meter then left the
room, little abruptly l thought, and
in less than thirty seconds Mr.. Van
Meter followed her. l was feeling
amused when the door opened and
in walked Miss Van Meter. II
was the middle of June. and she
was dressed in white, with yellow
ribbons, aud broad-rimmed hat tied
tightly down on each side. She was
twenty-tbree, but did not look day
older than twenty, and ! was just turasds
| thirty. l thought her the loveliest
living picture / had ever seen. i told
her 80 as | kissed her. At dinner it
YVES curious to see how nervous the old
folk were, how proud of their daugh-
ter, how deferentisl'; they evidently
worshipped the ground she trod on. l
had to leave by the 4-o'clock train to
catch the New York express at Boston.
and Miss Van Meter proposed showing
me another way to Eastbyeastborough-
longer. but quieter and prettier. While
she was putting on her hat and glovesI
babe goodbye to her parents.
q hope l have your consent if can
win her?" l said, addressing them
both.
Tie old gentleman laughed, wherest
his wife frowned and said
"Jamss, you would laugh at fune-
raj, l do think" Then TO me Yes,
sir, we both wish you success. We
think there is nobody like her on earth,
SIR"
"Therein you think right. Thank
you very, very much goodbye once
more" l said, as my beloved came on
the scene.
We soon left the highway and turned
up lane that ran through small plan
tation and on to high ground. The
view from there was glorious; miles
and miles of rolling country, very rich
" wooded. Near 10 us was large,
UdutsSODt htOut WIZ t@h
clock-tower and beautiful grounds.
admired the place and the situation
hugely.
"Nho lives there, do you know?" l
asked my companion. !
Gan eccentric msiden lady, l be-
heve," she answered indiiferently, call
ing my attention to remarkable
boulder-stone some distance ahead.
a maiden lady, Ell? Is she too old
to marry 2"
She laughed in her sweet way and
said: "Ob, no 4; she isn't fifty yet
what is her name?"
"Miss Jeweit. Look, yonder is
Waclusstt I" she cried, as that noun
tain came suddenly in view. admired
The mountain, l admired the boulder
stone, / admired some Baltimore orioles
that rested for an instant on a bush in
front of us.
what else shall / admire ?" asked
her.
II don't know, unless-well, did yon
admire my-my parents?" she said, al-
most timidly.
Eyes, indeed / did. hope you may
like my mother and sister Us well.
She seemed pleased.
$40 you think l al like either OF
ttnv,